After two weeks of work experience, it is now back to revision for exams and completion of coursework. On reflection, I should have chosen to do work experience after my last exams but my university being the way it is, released exam dates far too late.
But it should all work out, hopefully. They do say the first year is a breeze after all! My first exam is the morning after election night which means the new government may be announced halfway through my paper.
Whilst I was at work experience, the election was obviously a big deal. SkyNews were covering it in earnest and the poor people were extremely busy doing the regular news as well as election duties. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to get their apps and TV channels looking slick! Providing 24 news on their TV channel is an extremely intense business as you can imagine. It was quite cool to see how everything has to go like clockwork in the TV gallery and I met a kind old man who’d been working there for the past twenty years who was happy to explain everything to me.
Another cool experience was watching the rehearsals for election night as they have a dedicated studio for that. Since they only come every five years, they love to make it as glamorous as possible. Which means everything has to be perfect. Although I was just standing there enviously looking at the rows of Microsoft Surface tablets!
Another section that was quite interesting was the archives section where they store interesting pieces of video. Its also where other companies can request any films or pieces for their documentaries and videos. So if you would like clips of a recent famous speech, then now you know where to go. Hold on mate, you have to pay!
I met another nice person in the archives section and I also visited the social media side which is basically Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and more recently Periscope. It was quite interesting to see how they use social media to interact with a mass audience and it showed me that it is the way forward! Despite its negative perceptions, the fact is more and more people are using social media which means if you’re in the news business, that’s where you have to make your presence known.
Being on work experience can feel overwhelming at times. It is such a big building and company. Sometimes the nerves or the environment can get to you. One day, a person was showing me how to use a program and at the end he said: “Tomorrow they will put you with someone who really knows wrist they’re doing.” For some reason I forgot to laugh which meant it sounded like I felt he really wasn’t up to scratch! “That was a joke, ” he said dryly.
The experience was great and it left me feeling that yes, I can actually become a journalist. Since it is the type of profession that people tend to think is a bit unrealistic, you can sometimes end up believing your doubters. However the two weeks at Sky meant I am now looking for even more work experience placements to boost my CV.
Onwards and upwards people! (Hopefully.)
Until Next Time
A Worried Student
A WORRIED STUDENT 